holy mass rubrics-flower arangements the altar praying in tongues non-catholic lectors etc

7/31/2019 Holy Mass Rubrics-flower Arangements the Altar Praying in Tongues Non-catholic Lectors Etc

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Holy Mass Rubrics

ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS ATTHE ALTAR

"Not to oppose error is to approve it, and not to defend the truth is to suppress it" - Pope St. Felix III

Note: In this report I may occasionally use , Italics, or word underlining for emphasis. This will bemy personal emphasis and not that of the source that I am quoting. Any footnote preceded by a number in(parenthesis) is my personal library numbering system.

Dear Ron, In your report of August 17, 2008, you had answered a question about flower vases in fron

of the tabernacle. In our Cathedral, we have pews in the wings of the church to the left and right of taltar. From a number of seating positions and even if one sits in the first pews which are about two metres

from the altar, one is unable to even SEE the celebrant during most of the Holy Mass because of large buncheof flowers placed in vases which are kept on tall wooden stands on either side of the altar. What are theguidelines on the correct arrangement? What are the rules about not placing flower vases and anything elseexcept the crucifix and candle-stands on the altar?

T he Sacramentary in paragraphs 79-81 outlines what may or is to be placed on or near the altar.

Flowers are not mentioned at all. "Moderation should be observed in the decoration of the altar. During Advent the floral decoration of the altarshould be marked by moderation suited to the character of this season. During Lent it is forbidden for the alta

to be decorated with flowers. Laetare Sunday (fourth Sunday of Lent), solemnities, and feasts are exceptionsFloral decorations should always be done with moderation and placed around the altar rather than on its mensa."Only what is required for the celebration of the Mass may be placed on the mensa of the altar." Paragraph 307 refers to the placement of candles on the altar stating that they should not obstruct thecongregations view of what is occurring on the altar. The inference is clear that

.

"From these numbers of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (which I quoted above), it may beinferred that what the Church desires with regard to the decoration of the sanctuary is an overall sense of

moderation and well-balanced dignity, limiting, as far as possible, the use of merely decorative objects thathave no direct liturgical function and

or impediments to its concentration on the celebration of the sacred mystery itself. While thedecoration of the sanctuary should remain fairly stable, there is ample space for traditional elements that refle

the liturgical season (Advent wreath, poinsettias at Christmastide, etc." "

."

Please remember that most of my quotations are taken from The Sacramentary and G.I.R.M. which weredeveloped and approved for use in the USA. I would recommend that you discuss this report with your pastor

or bishop who could advise you of any variations permitted in India.

This report prepared on April 17, 2011 by , 11701 Maplewood Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024-8482, E-mail: . Readers may copy and distribute this report as desired toanyone as long as the content is not altered and it is copied in its entirety. In this little ministry I do freeCatholic and occult related research and answer your questions. Questions are answered in this format with

1The Sacramentary, (1985), Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, NY., P. 31

2General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN. 1-57555-543-3, April 2003, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C., Paragrap

305, P. 1023

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN. 1-57555-543-3, April 2003, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C., Paragrap

306, P. 1024

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN. 1-57555-543-3, April 2003, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C., Paragrap

307, P. 1035

Q&A on Sanctuary Decorations, 05/25/2004, Rev. Fr. Edward McNamara Prof. Of Liturgy at Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University, Zen

International News, Rome, Italy, P. 2

6 The Sacramentary, (1985), Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, NY., Paragraph 269, P. 44
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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detailed footnotes on all quotes. If you have a question(s), please submit it to this landmail or e-mail addressAnswers are usually forthcoming within one week.

Let us recover by penance what we have lost by sin

The altar is the symbol of Christ. When the faithful come together, Christ is in their midst, and the altarbecomes the visible sign of his presence (CCC 1383). Since the altar is the symbol of Christ, it becomes like thcenter and the heart of the church and a special object of veneration. The priest kisses it as a sacred relic atthe beginning and at the end of the celebration; the faithful bow respectfully in front of it, and cover it withnicely decorated cloths.

Out of reverence, we do not use it as a common table; and we put on it only the few things that are needed fthe celebration. Icons of the Virgin Mary or of a saint should not be put on the altar.

Many a time I find on our altars everything: Missal, chalice, water and wine, bible, book of the announcementsheets of the readings, book of songs, paper with the name of the dead for whom the Mass is offered, smallbox for the glasses of the priest, etc. Nothing is missing. The altar is not a table for our use but the symbol of

Christ, so we have to avoid putting things on it and they should be put elsewhere. Even the skull-cup of theBishop should not remain on the altar. When the Bishop removes his skull-cup (at the beginning of thePreface), a server should take it and put it on another table.Yours in Jesus Christ, , mccjVicar Apostolic of Kuwait [email protected] website: www.vicariatekuwait.or14 September 2007, Feast of the Triumph of the Cross

GUIDELINES FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGEBy Bishop Bosco Penha, President, Commission for Word & Worship. Archdiocese of Bombay

The Examinerweeklies of December 5, 2009, December 12, 2009 and January 2nd, 2010EXTRACT8.Floral arrangements should be modest and not overdone. They should not impede the approach to thealtar, or restrict movement in the sanctuary or obscure the altar, lectern, etc. The flowers placed in the'sanctuary may not be taken away after the celebration. Flowers are not permitted during the season of LentDuring Advent, floral arrangements should be restrained and kept to the bare minimum. See p. 9

Can we have non-Catholic/non-Christian Lectors?

Is there anything to be said about a non-Christian doing the first or second reading at Mass?

"Among the particular offices to be preserved and adapted to contemporary needs are those that are

in a special way more closely connected with the ministries of the word and of the altar and that in tLatin Church are called the offices of reader and acolyte, etc."

" ; hence they are no longer to be considered as reserved candidates for the sacrament of orders. Two ministries, adapted to present-day needs, are to be preserved inthe whole Latin Church, namely, those of reader and acolyte. The reader is appointed for a function proper tohim, that of reading the word of God in the liturgical assembly.""Lay men who possess the age and qualifications determined by decree of the conference of bishops can beinstalled on a stable basis in the ministries of lector and acolyte."

"In the absence of an instituted lector, other laypersons may be commissioned to proclaim the readings fromSacred Scripture. and should receive careful

7Apostolic Letter Ministeria Quaedam, (08/15/1972), Pope Paul VI, The Vatican, P. 1

8Apostolic Letter Ministeria Quaedam, (08/15/1972), Pope Paul VI, The Vatican, P. 2

9

Code of Canon Law, ISBN. 0-943616-29-4, (1983), Canon Law Society of America, Washington, D.C., Canon 230.1, P. 77
mailto:[email protected]://www.vicariatekuwait.or/http://www.vicariatekuwait.or/mailto:[email protected]://www.vicariatekuwait.or/


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preparation, so that the faithful by listening to the readings from the sacred texts may develop in their hearts

a warm and living love for Sacred Scripture.""The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the Gospel. In tabsence of a psalmist he can proclaim the Psalm between readings.""

. It is fitting that such a one should have

received a liturgical formation in accordance with his or her age, condition, state of life, and religious culture.

." It should be obvious to the readers that appointment of a non-Christian that does not believe in most of ourbibles words would cause consternation for the faithful! Also, everything that I have quoted on this particularanswer always infers a Catholic Christian be appointed to said position! When Church documents refer to'Christian' she is referring to Catholics!

Remember that their can be slight variations on rubrics in The Sacramentary from country-to-country. I wouldrecommend that you have a cleric in your own country review this report to check for any variations. I do nothave access to The Sacramentary used in India. If I can be of further assistance, please ask.

This report prepared on January 12, 2011 by , 11701 Maplewood Road, Chardon, Ohio 440248482, E-mail: . Readers may copy and distribute this report as desired toanyone as long as the content is not altered and it is copied in its entirety. In this little ministry I do free

Catholic and occult related research and answer your questions. Questions are answered in this format withdetailed footnotes on all quotes. If you have a question(s), please submit it to this landmail or e-mail addressAnswers are usually forthcoming within one week.


http://forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=26717The other day I was attending mass and the lector was a girl I knew. She is not Catholic, but she attends

liturgy at the college where we go to school because there are no churches of her denomination anywherenearby and our liturgy is the closest that of her denomination, even closer than most protestant services.

Are non-catholic lectors allowed? I always thought that they weren't. S., December 11, 2004If the person is Eastern Orthodox:

126. Catholics may read lessons at a sacramental liturgical celebration in the Eastern Churches if they areinvited to do so. An Eastern Christian may be invited to read the lessons at similar services in Catholic churcheIf the person is Protestant:133. The reading of Scripture during a Eucharistic celebration in the Catholic Church is to be done by member

of that Church. On exceptional occasions and for a just cause, the Bishop of the diocese may permit a membeof another Church or ecclesial Community to take on the task of reader.From the DIRECTORY FOR THE APPLICATION OF PRINCIPLES AND NORMS ON ECUMENISM

http://www.shcmoreauville.org/ministries:lector#toc3-A man, a woman, or a young adult.-A person in full communion with the Catholic Church.-A person serious about the practice of their [Catholic] faith.

-A person who is willing to complete a parish formation process.

http://www.jimmyakin.org/2005/06/noncatholic_doi.htmlBy Jimmy Akin June 13, 2005A reader writes:

10General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN. 1-57555-543-3, (April 2003), U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.,

Paragraph 101, P.P. 49-5011

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN. 1-57555-543-3, (April 2003), U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.,

Paragraph 99, P. 4912

Instruction on the Eucharist Redemptionis Sacramentum, ISBN. 1-57455-619-3, (May 2004), U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,

Washington, D.C., Paragraph 46, P. 27
mailto:[email protected]://forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=26717http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_25031993_principles-and-norms-on-ecumenism_en.htmlhttp://www.shcmoreauville.org/ministries:lector#toc3http://www.jimmyakin.org/2005/06/noncatholic_doi.htmlmailto:[email protected]://forum.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=26717http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/documents/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_25031993_principles-and-norms-on-ecumenism_en.htmlhttp://www.shcmoreauville.org/ministries:lector#toc3http://www.jimmyakin.org/2005/06/noncatholic_doi.html


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At a meeting last week, a friend from my parish informed me that her Methodist husband (who attends Mass

with his wife) has been asked by our parish priest to say the readings at Mass on Saturday evenings (I attendSunday morning Mass, so I wasn't aware of this and I was a little surprised by it).I want to know if it is in accordance with the teaching of the Church that a non Catholic can say the readings Mass, or not. My friends husband does a great deal of work for the parish in other areas, playing the organ Mass and making the parish web site accessible, which I've never thought to question... but when I was toldthat he is saying the readings, I wondered if this might be in error. Maybe I just ask too many questions, hop

you don't think this is a silly question.

Okay, several things here:First, who can do the readings at Mass isn't a matter of Church teaching but of Church discipline. There iscertainly a theological appropriateness for it to be a member of the faithful doing the readings, but theMagisterium hasn't distinctly articulated that fact in a doctrinal statement to my knowledge.It has, however, written its law in such a way that this is going to be indicated in the great majority of cases.

The Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism states:133. The reading of Scripture during a Eucharistic celebration in the Catholic Church is to be done by memberof that Church. On exceptional occasions and for a just cause, the Bishop of the diocese may permit a membeof another Church or ecclesial Community to take on the task of reader.Your bishop, therefore, could authorize the gentleman to read "on exceptional occasions and for a just cause"(e.g., in an ecumenical service of some kind), but not on a regular basis in a typical parish Mass.

One other note: If the gentleman has been involved at your parish as you say (attending Mass, doing otherthings), it might well be that the priest who asked him to read has simply forgottenthat he isn't Catholic (if h

knew that to begin with, that is).I'll never forget years ago when my wife was dying and our parish priest came to give her the anointing of thsick. While there he gave her Communion and started to administer Communion to me as well until I stoppedhim. I was not yet Catholic at this time, but I had been hanging around the parish so much (attending Mass,

etc.), that even though the priest and I had had a tense confrontation at Easter Vigil when he refused to admme to the Church, by this point a few months later he'd already forgotten that I wasn't yet Catholic.Something similar might well be happening in this case. If you show up, they tend to assume that you'reCatholic unless you're constantly reminding them that you're not.

According to the General Instruction to the Roman Missal an instituted lector should do the readings. Instituti

of lectors is a ceremony performed by a bishop. Only in the absence of an instituted lector are othersconsidered for proclaiming the readings. From the 2002 GIRM for the USA:

99. The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the Gospel.He may also announce the intentions for the Prayer of the Faithful and, in the absence of a psalmist, proclaimthe Psalm between the readings. In the Eucharistic Celebration, the lector has his own proper office (cf. belownos. 194-198), which he must exercise personally.

Other Ministries101. In the absence of an instituted lector, other laypersons may be commissioned to proclaim the readingsfrom Sacred Scripture. They should be truly suited to perform this function and should receive carefulpreparation, so that the faithful by listening to the readings from the sacred texts may develop in their heartswarm and living love for Sacred Scripture.

http://www.catholicvu.com/newpage408htm.htm

Can a non Catholic be a lector at any mass other than a funeral or wedding mass?Being a lector is something that only a baptized Catholic in full communion with the Church can do.

Praying in Tongues atMasshttp://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-30138ROME, August 24, 2010 (Zenit.org) Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor ofliturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/general-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19930325_directory_en.htmlhttp://www.catholicvu.com/newpage408htm.htmhttp://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-30138http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/general-docs/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_19930325_directory_en.htmlhttp://www.catholicvu.com/newpage408htm.htmhttp://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-30138


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What is allowed for regarding the (so-called) "speaking in tongues" during a Charismatic Mass? And what

exactly is an acceptable type of such Mass? Recently, I attended a Mass where the priest added his ownprayers during the elevation of the Eucharist (having said the formal prayers of consecration) and, with thosepresent (who were, excluding myself, members of the parish charismatic prayer group), prayed in tonguesduring the Eucharistic Prayer and at other moments of the Mass. There were various other obvious illicitmoments during the Mass and perhaps afterward as well (e.g., layperson anointing with some type of oil), buI'm particularly curious about the "tongues". As far as I can deduce, this is not allowed, but it's exceedingly

difficult to find anything to the contrary aside from mere opinions. P.H., Limerick, Ireland

There are practically no universal guidelines on this subject, except of course the general norms thatprohibit adding anything whatsoever to officially prescribed texts.

Although some individual bishops have published norms for their dioceses, as far as I know the most complettreatment of this subject is that published by the

It can be accessed in the Portuguese original at the bishops' Web site: www.cnbb.com.br.It must be noted that the Brazilian bishops have a generally positive view of the Charismatic Renewal, and asignificant number participate in charismatic Masses. The renewal is considered as being especially attuned anappealing to a wide swath of Brazilian society and is credited as helping to stem the hemorrhaging of Catholictoward Pentecostal sects.

Therefore, the norms issued by the bishops should be seen as genuine orientations to help the CatholicCharismatic Renewal achieve its full potential as an integral portion of the wider Catholic community. They

should not be seen as condemnation of aberrations and abuses.In dealing with liturgy (Nos. 38-44), the bishops' document recommends that the members of the renewalreceive an adequate liturgical formation. It reminds them that the liturgy is governed by precise rules andnothing external should be introduced (No. 40). No. 41 has precise indications:

"In the celebration of Holy Mass the words of the institution must not be stressed in an inadequate fashion. Nmust the Eucharistic Prayer be interrupted by moments of praise for Christ's Eucharistic presence by means oapplause, cheers, processions, hymns of Eucharistic praise or any other manifestations that exalt in this waythe Real Presence and end up emptying out the various dimensions of the Eucharistic celebration."In No. 42 the bishops indicate that music and gestures should be appropriate to the moment of the celebratioand follow the liturgical norms. A clear distinction should be made between liturgical hymns and other religiou

songs that are reserved to prayer meetings. Hymns should preferably be chosen from an official repertoire ofliturgical songs.

Finally, the bishops say that Charismatic Renewal meetings should not be scheduled to coincide with regularMasses and other gatherings of the whole ecclesial community.

"Speaking or praying in tongues: The object or destination of praying in tongues is God himself, being theattitude of a person absorbed in a particular conversation with God. The object or destination of speaking intongues is the community. The Apostle Paul teaches, 'When I am in the presence of the community I wouldrather say five words that mean something than ten thousand words in a tongue' (1 Corinthians 14:19). Sincein practice it is difficult to distinguish between the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and the instigations of thegroup leader, there should never be a call encouraging praying in tongues, and speaking in tongues should no

take place unless there is also an interpreter."I think that these wise counsels and norms from the Brazilian bishops show that

http://zenit.org/article-30279?l=english

ROME, September 7, 2010 After our mention of the norms of the Brazilian bishops' conference on speaking anpraying in tongues during Mass (seeAug. 24), a reader from Indiana wrote:"In 1975, at the International Conference on the Charismatic Renewal held in Rome, Pope Paul VI allowedCardinal Suenens to concelebrate a charismatic Mass in St. Peter's. At that Mass, there was most definitelypraying in tongues (not 'speaking in tongues') along with singing in tongues by the cardinals, bishops, priestsand laypeople all gathered together at this Mass, with the Pope's approval. It was a beautiful time of worship

the heart of the Church. The Pope himself spoke to us after Mass with words of welcome and advice for thoseinvolved in the charismatic renewal. It is important to make a distinction, as St. Paul himself does, betweenspeaking in tongues and praying in tongues."
http://www.cnbb.com.br/site/http://zenit.org/article-30279?l=englishhttp://www.zenit.org/article-30138?l=englishhttp://www.cnbb.com.br/site/http://zenit.org/article-30279?l=englishhttp://www.zenit.org/article-30138?l=english


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The Church is not hasty in granting definitive approvals or condemnations. It prefers to observe new spiritual

realities and orientate little by little. In this sense the 1994 Brazilian document or the 2000 Instruction on

Prayers for Healing by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith represent more mature reflections in thelight of lived experience.The aim of such reflections and guidelines is not to condemn the charismatic renewal but to help it achieve itsfull potential as an integral part of the Church.

Volume XXXVI Number 5, October December 2010http://www.catholicrenewalservices.com/index_files/ICCRSLeadersDec.pdf

The ICCRS Doctrinal Commission is headed by Bp. Joseph Grech (Australia) and is formed by Fr. Peter Hocken(Austria), Fr. Francis Martin (USA), and Dr. Mary Healy (USA).

The ICCRS Doctrinal Commission is in consultation with theologians from around the world.

The ICCRS Doctrinal Commission has received several inquiries in response to a column published by the Zennews service on August 24, concerning whether it is permissible to speak in tongues at Mass. The author of thcolumn, Fr. Edward McNamara, LC, cited a 1994 document of the Brazilian bishops conference and concluded

that "it is not in conformity with the authentic charism of the Catholic Charismatic renewal to speak in tongueduring Mass." However, the Brazilian bishops document does not support this conclusion. We would like toclarify this matter to dispel any confusion it may have caused among members of the CCR.The Brazilian bishops document was intended to address specific pastoral situations in Brazil and does notapply to the universal Church, although it does contain some helpful guidelines. As Fr. McNamara notes, thedocument draws a distinction between "praying in tongues" (prayer addressed to God) and "speaking in

tongues" (a message addressed to the assembly). However, he overlooks the relevance of this distinction forthe question at hand. His conclusion refers to "speaking in tongues" during Mass without noting that what

normally takes place at charismatic liturgies is "praying in tongues."The bishops do not say that praying in tongues should not take place at Mass, only that leaders should notspecifically call for it. Nor do they prohibit "speaking in tongues"; they only say that it should not take placeunless there is also an interpreter.

In considering the proper use of the gift of tongues, it is important to reflect on the teaching of St. Paul. Paulspeaks about tongues in 1 Corinthians in the context of instructions on the churchs liturgical assemblies (1Corinthians 11-14). He describes tongues as a form of prayer under the influence of the Holy Spirit; it is prayior singing "with the spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:15). In saying that the tongue-speaker "utters mysteries in theSpirit" (1 Corinthians 14:2), Paul indicates that tongues is pre-conceptual, pre-verbal prayer a prayer of theheart that expresses Gods praise aloud but without words. Paul corrects certain abuses in Corinth in which

tongues was being overemphasized to the detriment of prophecy and other gifts that have a greater capacity build up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:1-17). Nevertheless, he says, "I want you all to speak in tongues

and "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all" (14:5, 18). Elsewhere Paul warns Christians, "Donot quench the Spirit but test everything, hold fast to what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21). And hespecifically admonishes, "Do not forbid speaking in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:39).The writings of the Church Fathers also help illuminate this question.

Many Fathers refer to jubilation (jubilatio), a form of praying and singing aloud without words. Theirdescriptions of jubilation are remarkably similar to our experience of praying or singing in tongues today. St.Augustine explains: "One who jubilates does not utter words, but a certain sound of joy without words: for it the voice of the soul poured forth in joy, expressing, as far as possible, what it feels without reflecting on themeaning. Rejoicing in exultation, a man uses words that cannot be spoken and understood, but he simply lets

his joy burst forth without words; his voice then appears to express a happiness so intense that he cannotexplain it" (En. in Ps., 99.4). Augustine does not merely allow but urges his congregation to jubilate: "Rejoiceand speak. If you cannot express your joy, jubilate: jubilation expresses your joy if you cannot speak. Let notyour joy be silent" (ibid., 97.4). St. Gregory the Great adds, "But we call it jubilus, when we conceive such joy

in the heart as we cannot give vent to by the force of words, and yet the triumph of the heart vents with the
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.htmlhttp://www.catholicrenewalservices.com/index_files/ICCRSLeadersDec.pdfhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.htmlhttp://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20001123_istruzione_en.htmlhttp://www.catholicrenewalservices.com/index_files/ICCRSLeadersDec.pdf


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the silences prescribed during the rites (most commonly after the words "Let us pray"). Voiceless prayers,

murmured 'under our breath' are really no different than praying in tongues 'under our breath'. Praying intongues in this way can be recommended throughout the Liturgy since we can still be conscious of oursurroundings when praying in this way, and not disturb those around us by drawing attention to ourselves.In the second case (collective vocal singing in tongues), following on the principle of the last paragraph, can ballowed. For example, at the moments of adoration during the elevations of the Eucharistic Prayer, the periodof silence after the readings, or hymns. These all are places where a 'judicious' use of praying or singing in

tongues might be allowed. As mentioned already these expressions are subject to the regulation of the local

ordinary and the permission of the celebrant. This kind of expression should never draw attention to thosepraying, but rather always be oriented as prayer to the Trinity, the only worthy one to receive such expressionof prayer and adoration.Singing in tongues at the Liturgy should not be encouraged by any intervening direction or statement such as"let us all lift our voices in Tongues," or any such thing. Rather it should be permitted if someone is led to sing

in tongues spontaneously. There are now customary places where singing in tongues has been permitted in acharismatic masses since the beginning of the Renewal, and these seem to not interrupt the flow of the liturgunduly. This has even occurred at the Masses during international gatherings of the Charismatic Renewal withthe Pope.If the celebrant of the Mass proceeds with the liturgy, even as singing in tongues is happening, then all tongushould stop. Therefore, I would recommend that singing in tongues in a Charismatic Mass be limited to (but n

prescribed for) the following points in the liturgy:1. After the opening Hymn

2. After the Glory to God (if sung)3. After the Responsorial Psalm4. After the Gospel Acclamation5. After the Holy, Holy, Holy

6. After the Elevation each of the Body of Christ or Blood of Christ in the Eucharistic Prayer7. After the Communion chant or hymn.It is hoped that this information and set of guidelines will help Catholic Charismatics to be comfortable with thuse of their charisms in the liturgy, and will understand more the nature of singing in tongues during the MasIt is most important that the charismatic expressions be submitted to the Churchs good order, and thelegislation of the Bishop, or the direction given during the Liturgy by the celebrant. God is a God of order, an

not disorder.Sincerely, Fr. Don Malin, VF, C-4 Coordinator, Colorado Catholic Charismatic Committee,August 24, 2010

ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS ATTHE ALTAR

http://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-31882ROME, March 1, 2011 (Zenit.org) Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor ofliturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university.

In our archdiocese there is no uniformity in the way the altar is prepared or laid out for liturgicalcelebrations. In some cases, the altar is dressed as a conference table; in others, the stone is never seen the

whole year round, with the exception of Holy Thursday when it is stripped. My question is: How should the altfor liturgical celebration be arranged? V.A.F., Bamenda, CameroonTotal uniformity is probably not possible -- and maybe not even desirable. In the first place, the missal itse

offers several legitimate options, and second, the most appropriate layout depends on such factors as the sizeof the altar and sanctuary area as well as the possibilities of each parish. I will attempt to illustrate the varioupossibilities so that at least a common denominator can be established.

The altar should be covered by at least one white altar cloth (see the General Instruction of the Roman MissaNo. 304). It should at the very least cover the entire top of the altar table and preferably hang down on eitheside. It may also have a hanging fringe on the front and/or back of the altar, but this is not obligatory. It maybe plain or adorned, in accordance with local tradition. If other cloths are used, then the white altar cloth isalways the uppermost one.This cloth is obligatory for Mass and may be removed after the celebration. However, it is probably best to

reserve the symbol of the stripped altar for Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and for this reason it is best to
http://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-31882http://www.zenit.org/http://www.zenit.org/rssenglish-31882http://www.zenit.org/


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or the Christmas crib, and pathways in the narthex, nave, and

sanctuary should remain clear."126 In the course of the liturgical year, the feasts and memorials of Our Lady and of saints with specialsignificance for the parish afford opportunities to show devotion by adorning their images with tasteful floralarrangements or plants."129 The use of living flowers and plants, rather than artificial greens, serves as a reminder of the gift of lifeGod has given to the human community. Planning for plants and flowers should include not only the

procurement and placement but also the continuing care needed to sustain living things."

The above norms refer obviously to a freestanding altar. An old high altar still in use would follow in generalterms the norms in force for the extraordinary form.

Natural flowers or those made of silk or other precious fabrics may beused.

Flowers may be placed between the candlesticks upon the altar as well as upon the lower steps leading up tothe altar but never in front of the tabernacle door.Regarding altar candles in this form, the relative norms are that they should be placed symmetrically on eachside of the cross, upon the altar table or on the upper steps of the altar. Six candles are generally used on the

high altar, two on side altars. The number can be increased for a special function such as the Forty Hours'Devotion. Candlesticks with multiple branches are forbidden.The Ceremonial of Bishops (I, xii, 11) says that the candlesticks or the candles should be of different sizes anplaced in ascending order toward the center of the altar in such a way as to form a kind of pyramid with thecross. However, equal-sized candles are also admitted.There are no precise rules regarding how to place candlesticks in the ordinary form, and the disposition can b

varied according to circumstances, depending, for example, on the number of concelebrants or the number ofsacred vessels required for a specific celebration.

Although I know of no specific title regarding church floral decorations, specialist publishers such as theArchdiocese of Chicago's Liturgy Training Publications have several books that touch upon the subject ofdecoration in general.I hope this covers most of our reader's inquiries.

http://www.zenit.org/article-10192?l=englishROME, May 25, 2004 (Zenit.org) Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the ReginaApostolorum Pontifical University.

I have been searching for some type of directives regarding the decorating of the sanctuary. In the parishhere we have a decorating committee that can do just about any type of decorating that it wants. Isn't there book that contains what is permissible and what isn't? A.R., Hinckley, Ohio

By decoration I suppose you mean the occasional decoration of the sanctuary (flowers, etc.) and not the

overall structure of the sanctuary itself.The U.S. bishops' conference has recently published an official document, "Built of Living Stones," which gives

concrete guidelines for many aspects of church construction and design.The document may be obtained from the conference itself or from Catholic bookstores.Apart from this, some general norms of the Church regarding decorating the sanctuary are contained in theGeneral Instruction of the Roman Missal, in Nos. 304 and following, which address some aspects directlyregarding the decoration of the altar but whose principles may be applied to the sanctuary in general.No. 304 states: "Out of reverence for the celebration of the memorial of the Lord and for the banquet in whic

the Body and Blood of the Lord are offered on an altar where this memorial is celebrated, there should be atleast one white cloth, its shape, size, and decoration in keeping with the altar's design. When, in the diocesesof the United States of America, other cloths are used in addition to the altar cloth, then those cloths may be other colors possessing Christian honorific or festive significance according to longstanding local usage,provided that the uppermost cloth covering the mensa (i.e., the altar cloth itself) is always white in color."
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No. 305 reminds us that: "Moderation should be observed in the decoration of the altar."

This applies especially to floral decorations, which "should always be done with moderation and placed aroundthe altar rather than on its mensa," and which should be especially moderate during Advent and which areforbidden during Lent except for the Laetare Sunday (Fourth Sunday of Lent), as well as solemnities and feasNo. 306 gives as a principle that "Only what is required for the celebration of the Mass may be placed on themensa of the altar: namely, from the beginning of the celebration until the proclamation of the Gospel, theBook of the Gospels; then from the Presentation of the Gifts until the purification of the vessels, the chalice

with the paten, a ciborium if necessary, and, finally, the corporal, the purificator, the pall, and the Missal." A

microphone is also permitted when necessary.This means that any other elements or symbols should not be placed on the altar.No. 308 requires the use of a "cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it,where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation. It is appropriate that such a cross, which calls to minfor the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord, remain near the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations."

No. 307 deals specifically with candles but also makes another valid criterion with respect to general decorum"The candles ... are to be appropriately placed either on or around the altar in a way suited to the design of taltar and the sanctuary so that the whole may be well balanced and not interfere with the faithful's clear viewof what takes place at the altar or what is placed on it."Further on, No. 318 speaks of the use of sacred images: "In the earthly Liturgy, the Church participates, by aforetaste, in that heavenly Liturgy which is celebrated in the holy city of Jerusalem toward which she journeys

as a pilgrim, and where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; and by venerating the memory of the Saintsshe hopes one day to have some part and fellowship with them.

"Thus, images of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Saints, in accordance with the Church's mostancient tradition, should be displayed for veneration by the faithful in sacred buildings and should be arrangedso as to usher the faithful toward the mysteries of faith celebrated there. For this reason, care should be takethat their number not be increased indiscriminately, and that they be arranged in proper order so as not to

distract the faithful's attention from the celebration itself. There should usually be only one image of any giveSaint. Generally speaking, in the ornamentation and arrangement of a church as far as images are concernedprovision should be made for the devotion of the entire community as well as for the beauty and dignity of thimages."From these numbers of the GIRM it may be inferred that what the Church desires with regard to the decoratioof the sanctuary is an overall sense of moderation and well-balanced dignity, limiting, as far as possible, the

use of merely decorative objects that have no direct liturgical function and avoidance of creating obstacles tothe clear view of the assembly or impediments to its concentration on the celebration of the sacred mystery

itself.Thus, while the decoration of the sanctuary should remain fairly stable, there is ample space for traditionalelements that reflect the liturgical season (Advent wreath, poinsettias at Christmastide, etc.) and for theoccasional use of truly artistic banners on major feasts.

Although artistic banners may be used it is best to avoid the use of message posters in the sanctuary as well other occasional articles such as children's drawings and the like which might draw attention away from thecentrality of the celebration.These objects are not necessarily excluded from the precincts of the church but should preferably be placed insome other suitable place outside the sanctuary.

http://www.zenit.org/article-10312?l=englishROME, June 8, 2004 (Zenit.org) Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina

Apostolorum Pontifical University.Many readers asked for clarifications regarding the May 25 column on decorating the sanctuary. A member ofthe military asked if a crucifix may be placed upon the altar during the celebration of Mass.No. 308 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal clearly permits this option, which is often necessary in

situations where Mass is celebrated outside of a permanent chapel.Such a crucifix would usually be placed at the front of the altar in a central position directly in front of thecelebrant with the corpus facing toward the altar. In such a case the crucifix should not be so large as toobscure the faithful's view of the sacred action, nor so small as to be practically invisible. There are many thinmetal crosses that can perfectly fulfill this task.Related to what should be on the altar, a reader referred to a custom in one parish: "During Sunday Mass, at

the preparation of the gifts, a given family comes up to cover the altar. First, they put down an altar cloth,always the color of the day or feast. Then, they put down a corporal. Then they set down several purificatorswhich will be used at Communion time.
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"After Communion, the same family comes forward again. They fold and remove the corporal and any

purificators which might still be there, fold up the altar cloth, bow, and take all these items out of sight. Theclosing prayer, announcements, and blessing, are all said with the altar-table bare, as if stripped as on GoodFriday and Holy Saturday."Perhaps this is a rather radical interpretation of GIRM, No. 306: "Only what is required for the celebration ofthe Mass may be placed on the mensa of the altar." But this practice certainly does not correspond to liturgicanorms.

GIRM No. 117, treating of the articles to be prepared before Mass, states: "The altar is to be covered with at

least one white cloth. In addition, on or next to the altar are to be placed candlesticks with lighted candles: atleast two in any celebration, or even four or six, especially for a Sunday Mass or a holy day of obligation ..."No. 118 continues: "On the credence table: the chalice, a corporal, a purificator, and, if appropriate, the pall;the paten and, if needed, ciboria; bread for the Communion of the priest who presides, the deacon, theministers, and the people; cruets containing the wine and the water, unless all of these are presented by the

faithful in procession at the Offertory; the vessel of water to be blessed, if the asperges occurs;

the Communion-plate for the Communion of the faithful; and whatever is needed for the washing of hands."Thus it is clear that these things should be prepared beforehand and not during Mass. Likewise the preparatioof the altar, especially the extending the corporal and preparing the sacred vessels, is preferably undertaken bthe deacon or, if lacking, by the acolytes.

The altar should be habitually covered even outside of Mass, although it is customary in many places to protethe white altar cloth outside of Mass by covering it with another cloth. This cloth should be removed some tim

before the Eucharistic celebration begins.If stripping the altar after Mass were a regular practice then the rubrics requiring this action during the EasterTriduum would have no significance at all.A reader from the Philippines asked if flowers were forbidden on the altar.

It is true that GIRM No. 305 does not use the word "forbidden" when referring to flowers being placed uponthe altar, but certainly indicates a clear preference. When read in tandem with the text of No. 306 quotedabove, on placing only what is essential upon the altar, I believe it becomes more than a mere preference.Even though there may be some rare exceptions to this general norm, I suggest that we should always try tofollow the clear sense of the rule which best reflect what the Church desires for the liturgy.On this topic readers may wish to consult an excellent recent article, "In Praise of Flowers," published in the

March/April edition of the Environment & Art Letter. This recently revamped newsletter, produced by theArchdiocese of Chicago's Liturgy Training Publications, should prove to be a useful resource for parishes on al

aspects of church decoration.Several readers asked about the appropriateness of having national flags in the sanctuary.Surprisingly, there are no regulations of any kind governing the display of flags in Roman Catholic churches.Neither the Code of Canon law, nor the liturgical books of the Roman rite comment on this practice. As a resu

the question of whether and how to display a national or other flag in a church is left up to the judgment of thdiocesan bishop, who in turn often delegates this to the discretion of the pastor.It appears that the origin of the display of the American flag in many U.S. parishes stems from the custom ofoffering prayers for those who served during World War II. At that time, many bishops and pastors provided abook of remembrance near the American flag, requesting prayers for loved ones -- especially those servingtheir country in the armed forces -- as a way of keeping before the attention of the faithful the needs of

military families.After the war the custom of having the flag present in the sanctuary, often accompanied by the pontificalstandard, continued even in periods with no major international conflicts.

The practice, while not confined to the United States, is not widespread in other countries and is usuallyconfined to certain churches of particular national importance.The Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, for example, displays a large national flag near the imag

of the Patroness of America and in another part of the church the flags of all the nations of North and SouthAmerica.The U.S. bishops' Committee on the Liturgy has in the past encouraged pastors not to place the flag within thsanctuary itself, in order to reserve that space for the altar, the ambo, the presidential chair and the tabernacInstead, the suggestion has been made that the American flag be placed outside the sanctuary, or in thevestibule of the church together with a book of prayer requests. It remains, however, for the diocesan bishop

to determine regulations in this matter.Personally I would hold that national flags are best kept out of the sanctuary and the practice should not beintroduced where no custom exists. If used, however, they should be discreet and of modest dimensions.Finally, a Canadian reader asked if GIRM No. 318 meant that only one title of the Blessed Virgin may be place
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in the church. The text says:

"Thus, images of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Saints, in accordance with the Church's mostancient tradition, should be displayed for veneration by the faithful in sacred buildings and should be arrangedso as to usher the faithful toward the mysteries of faith celebrated there. For this reason, care should be takethat their number not be increased indiscriminately, and that they be arranged in proper order so as not todistract the faithful's attention from the celebration itself. There should usually be only one image of any giveSaint. Generally speaking, in the ornamentation and arrangement of a church as far as images are concerned

provision should be made for the devotion of the entire community as well as for the beauty and dignity of th

images."This is basically a pastoral norm that strives to strike a balance between the needs of the liturgy and the privadevotion the faithful.In order to serve the liturgy, the norm indicates that images should not be so numerous as to distract thefaithful during the celebration.

At the same time it asks that provision should be made for the devotion of the entire community so that imagshould be set up to cater for those devotions most deeply held by the local community, not excluding the useof votive lamps before the images.The reason the document says that there should not be more than one image of any saint set up for veneratirecalls certain excesses of former times in which more than one altar was dedicated to the same saint.However, I do not think that the prohibition of more than one image would exclude images not explicitly set u

for veneration as when, for example, in addition to a statue of a church's patron saint there are several muralor stained glass windows that illustrate episodes of the saint's life.

Nor would it exclude adding another image of the Blessed Virgin if pastorally advisable. For example, if, due tdemographic change, a parish dedicated to the Virgin of Loreto acquired a significant Hispanic population thewould be no reason to exclude the pastor setting up an alcove to Our Lady of Guadalupe to respond to thedevotional traditions of the people.

http://www.zenit.org/article-15909?l=englishROME, May 2, 2006 (Zenit.org) Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the ReginaApostolorum university.

When an altar crucifix is used during the celebration of Mass, ought the corpus to be facing toward thepriest or toward the congregation? D.V., Washington, D.C.

The indications in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal are sparse regarding the direction of the

figure of Christ on the cross:"No 308. There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it,where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation. It is appropriate that such a cross, which calls to minfor the faithful the saving Passion of the Lord, remain near the altar even outside of liturgical celebrations."Taking our cue from Monsignor Peter Elliott's liturgy manual, we might add that the crucifix should be located

on, next to, immediately behind or suspended above the altar. It should be visibly related to the altar as viewby the people.As Monsignor Elliott comments: "The liturgical crucifix is not primarily for the private devotion of the celebranbut is a sign in the midst of the Eucharistic assembly proclaiming that the Mass is the same Sacrifice asCalvary."Thus, strictly speaking, the altar crucifix is in relationship to the altar, and not just to the priest, and for this

reason the "corpus" is usually turned toward the altar.An altar crucifix can be somewhat off-putting for the faithful who can see only the reverse of the cross. This i

a relatively new problem as, before the liturgical reform, the whole assembly, priest and people, faced bothaltar and crucifix in the same direction.For this reason the best solution appears to be either the large crucifix permanently behind or above the altarIf this is not possible, then the very flexibility of the norms would allow for a processional cross, or a larger bu

movable crucifix on a stand, which is placed near the altar in such a position that clearly relates to the altarwhile remaining visible to the faithful.

http://www.zenit.org/article-16033?l=englishROME, May 16, 2006 (Zenit.org) Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the ReginaApostolorum university.

After our column on the position of the altar crucifix (May 2), a priest from San Diego, California, asked:"If the crucifix is on the altar -- and if the priest is celebrating 'versus populum' -- should the crucifix face the
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priest or face the people? Based on GIRM, No. 308: 'There is also to be a cross, with the figure of Christ

crucified upon it, either on the altar or near it, where it is clearly visible to the assembled congregation.'"Since the concern here is visibility 'to the assembled congregation,' it would seem also that a crucifix on themensa of the altar should be turned to face the people."I am not convinced of this interpretation. The mention of the figure of Christ in the new General Instruction othe Roman Missal was inserted above all to eliminate the nascent fashion for bare crosses. I believe that thevisibility requirement refers above all to the cross itself.

The rubrics of the Ceremonial of Bishops in use before the conciliar reforms already foresaw the possibility of

the altar "versus populum." This book, while mandating that the cross be visible to all, also prescribed that thcorpus be placed toward the altar ("cum imagine sanctissimi Crucifixi versa ad interiorem altaris faciem").Another priest suggested having an altar crucifix designed with a figure on both sides.Although there do not seem to be present norms to forbid this practice, it was not permitted in earlier times.Some manuals recommended the use of other images on the side of the cross (facing the people) such as the

fish symbol or even another image of the Redeemer such as the Good Shepherd or King of Kings.With regard to visibility many local synods established a minimum size of 40 centimeters (16 inches) for thevertical to 22 centimeters (8.8 inches) for the horizontal bar, although in practice the altar cross was oftenlarger.A decree of Pope Benedict XIV (1740-1758) also established that another cross was not necessary if a largecrucifix was painted or sculptured as part of an altarpiece.

Although this decree is no longer operative it helps us to give an affirmative answer to another question fromBloomington, Illinois, as to whether a large crucifix, suspended from the ceiling or placed on the wall behind

the altar, is sufficient.No. 129 of the present Ceremonial of Bishops recommends that the processional cross be used as an altar crofor the bishop's Mass. If, however, a cross is already present, then the processional cross is put away until theend of Mass.

http://ephesians-511.net/docs/CRITERIA_FOR_CHOIR_MEMBERS_LECTORS_COMMENTATORS_AND_CATECHISM_TEACHERS.do
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LITURGICAL ABUSES-LETTER TO THE BISHOP OFCLEVELAND-I

"Not to oppose error is to approve it, and not to defend the truth is to suppress it" - Pope St. Felix III

Note: In this letter I may occasionally use , Italics, or word underlining for emphasis. This will be

my personal emphasis and not that of the source that I am quoting.

February 6, 2005

11701 Maplewood RoaChardon, Ohio 44024-84

E-mail: [email protected]

Most Reverend Anthony PillaDiocese of Cleveland1027 Superior Avenue,Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2560

Dear Bishop Pilla,

On January 29, 2005, I attended the 4:30 P.M. Mass at St. Marys in Chardon. Fr. Gregory Schaut wasthe celebrant. Two altar servers assisted him. I observed the following liturgical abuses at this Mass:

Displayed in the sanctuary was a large banner with colored hands, a world globe on a tablewith a textbook, a basketball, small US flag, a school chair with a doll sitting on it. This display wato draw attention to, I believe, Catholic Schools Week. These items, other than the banner, weredirectly in front of the altar.

The altar was covered throughout Mass with a brown tablecloth with flower prints on it (no

white altar cover).

Fr. Schaut gave the homily from the nave.

At the Fractioning Rite, one of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion approached thaltar and assisted by passing ciboria back and forth to the priest while the altar servers did nothin

Glass water-type glasses and glass salad-type bowls were used to distribute Holy CommunionI reported this to you last spring and it has not been corrected.

On February 5, 2005 I attended the 4:30 P.M. Mass at St. Marys in Chardon. Fr. Schaut was the

celebrant assisted by Deacon Larry Boenlein and two altar servers. I observed the following liturgical abuses athis Mass:

The altar was covered throughout Mass with a brown tablecloth with flower prints on it (nowhite altar cover).

Fr. Schaut gave the homily from the nave.


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At the Fractioning Rite, one of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion approachedthe altar and assisted by passing ciboria back and forth to the priest while the altar servers anddeacon did nothing.

During the homily Fr. Schaut talked about confession. He said that in theconfessional some people tell him that they gossip about others. He then mentioned two more

items that were told to him in the confessional. I do not remember these, as I was shocked that hwould talk about this to us and I had no notebook with me.

During the homily Fr, Schaut carried the Easter candle from the back of the church to the fro

He had the congregation twice sing some response while he did this. I would not and, again, I donot remember the words of the response and did not have a notebook to record them.

The deacon ministered the Body of Christ at communion time instead of the cup.

Glass water-type glasses and glass salad-type bowls were used to distribute Holy Communion

In the bulletin from this Mass, Fr. Gilles said (in part), "On the other hand, we are advised noto over the failure to observe an individual day of penance."

The Catholic Schools Week display in the sanctuary (of all places) is not permitted within the rubrics.This display was put directly in front of the altar. Everyones attention during Mass was inadvertently drawn tothe display as opposed to the sacrifice occurring upon the altar. Paragraphs 79-81 of The Sacramentary statewhat is to be prepared and placed in the sanctuary.

The Sacramentary is written in the positive-affirmative style that means it says what is required and what ispermitted. It is not possible to list all things not permitted in the sanctuary.

"The Articles to be Prepared: ."The homily is to be given from the sanctuary. " where the altar stands

where the word of God is proclaimed, and."

"."

"The abuse that has prevailed in some places, by which this Rite (Fractioning Rite) is unnecessarily prolongedand given undue emphasis, in contradiction to the norms,

."

The congregation to a homily to learn more about the readings and their faith. They are not tparticipate in the homily. "The homily, which is given in the course of the celebration of Holy Mass and is partof the Liturgy itself, should ordinarily be given by the Priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to aconcelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to a Deacon, but never to a lay person."

The inference in this rubric is quite clear.. The homily is not meant to be a performance where the 'audience' participates. To me it is

apparent what has happened here. I have reported abuses of the laity assisting with the Fractioning Rite andother functions of the clergy during Holy Mass for well over a year now. These abuses have not been correcteSince they have not been corrected they are now being extended to the laity 'performing' during the homily.We lay people, when referring to disciplining our children, often use the expression, "Give them an inch andtheyll take a mile." Somewhere in scripture our Lord says, "You reap what you sow." Where will the laity takeon a priestly function next?

"Reprobated, therefore, is any practice of using for the celebration of Mass common vessels, or otherlacking in quality, or devoid of all artistic merit or which are mere containers, as also other vessels

, earthenware, clay, or other materials that break easily.""At Mass the deacon has his own part in proclaiming the Gospel, in preaching Gods word from time to time, iannouncing the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful, in ministering to the priest, in preparing the altar and

13The Sacramentary, (1985), Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, NY., Paragraphs 79-81, P. 31

14General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN: 1-57555-543-3, (April 2003), US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC.,


General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN: 1-57555-543-3, (April 2003), US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC.,


General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN: 1-57555-543-3, (April 2003), US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC.,


Redemptionis Sacramentum, (May 2004), ISBN: 1-57455-619-3, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC., Paragraph 73, P. 318

Redemptionis Sacramentum, (May 2004), ISBN: 1-57455-619-3, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC., Paragraph 64, P.P

33-3419

Redemptionis Sacramentum, (May 2004), ISBN: 1-57455-619-3, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC., Paragraph 117, P.P

53-54


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serving the celebration of the Sacrifice, in distributing the Eucharist to the faithful,

, and sometimes in giving direction regarding the peoples gestures and postures." The instructions of this rubric show that the deacon should assist the priest, if necessary, during the FractioniRite and that the deacon should minister the Precious Blood.

"All members of the Christian faithful in their own way are bound to do penance in virtue of divine lawin order that all may be joined in a common observance of penance, penitential days are prescribed in whichthe Christian faithful in a special way pray, exercise works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by

fulfilling their responsibilities more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence according to the

norm of the following canons.""All Fridays through the year and the time of Lent are penitential days and times throughout the universalChurch." "Abstinence and fast are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on the Friday of the Passion andDeath of Our Lord Jesus Christ." The canons are clear concerning our fast and abstinence requirements, particularly during Lent. Throughout m

Catholic life Holy Church has consistently (until now) told me and taught me that it is a sin that requiresconfession to violate the fast and abstinence laws other than in a narrowly defined set of exceptions (illness,etc.) People reading Fr. Gilles advice in the bulletin are going to interpret what he said as a dispensation fromthe requirements of fast and abstinence. You or Fr. Gilles owe it to the flock to not mislead us here. This needimmediate correction!

In all of my many past letters on liturgical abuses to you and Bishop Gries, I have cited the many rule

canons and regulations that require the bishop to oversee the liturgy in his diocese and to correct abusestherein. I will not repeat all of this legislation here.

As always your Eminence, you and Fr. Murray remain in my daily prayers. Yours in Christ,Ronald SmithCC: a few interested faithfulEnclosure: St. Marys bulletin of 2/6/05

LITURGICAL ABUSES-LETTER TO THE BISHOP OFCLEVELAND-II

October 4, 2011

11701 Maplewood Roa

Chardon, Ohio 44024-84E-mail:

Most Reverend Richard C. Lennon1027 Superior Avenue,

Cleveland, Ohio 44114-2560

Dear Bishop Lennon,

On 09/11/2011 I began to attend the 8:30 A.M. Sunday Mass at St. Marys in Chardon. I go to Mass

forty-five minutes to an hour early to allow myself prayer time with our Lord, which is what I did on this

particular day. As I entered the Church I observed a considerable number of school paraphernalia in thesanctuary (books, blocks, etc.) displayed in front of the altar. Hanging from the top of the altar on its front waa huge banner with some type of message about the anniversary of St. Marys School. I wasnt upset;

that the Lords sanctuary and altar where bread and wine become couldbe abused like this BY ANYONE! "He (Jesus) found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves

as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temparea, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and

20Redemptionis Sacramentum, (May 2004), ISBN: 1-57455-619-3, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC., Paragraph 94, P.P

47-4821

Code of Canon Law, ISBN: 0-943616-19-0, (1985), Canon Law Society of America, Washington, DC., Canon 1249, P. 44722




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those who sold doves He said, 'Take these out of here, and stop making my Fathers house a marketplace'.

His disciples recalled the words of scripture, 'Zeal for Your house will consume Me'."I went to the pew where I normally sit for my prayers. I tried to concentrate but I could not. I made

decision. I went into the lobby, obtained a pencil and paper and wrote a brief note expressing my outrage atwhat was in our sanctuary. I signed it with my address. In the note I ended by saying that as of this time I wdropping my membership at St. Marys Church. I gave the note to an usher and asked him to give it towhatever priest said Mass. I left and went to another Church for Mass. St. Marys has a huge narthex where

this display could have been placed. I have been a 'Romin Catholic' ever since, meeting my Sunday obligation

by going to a variety of Catholic parishes. I have found one in particular that I will most likely register in as amember in the near future.

"Any Catholic, whether Priest or Deacon or lay member of Christs faithful, has the right to lodge acomplaint regarding a liturgical abuse to the diocesan Bishop or the competent Ordinary equivalent to him inlaw, or to the Apostolic See on account of the primacy of the Roman Pontiff. It is fitting, however, insofar as

possible, that .""

."

This quotation seems to imply that includes you and I! This letter to you is ademonstration of me doing my part.Are you going to now do your part?Remember what our Lord says to

those who do their jobs well, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."T he Sacramentary in paragraphs 79-81 outlines what may or is to be placed on or near the altar. "Moderation should be observed in the decoration of the altar. During Advent the floral decoration of

the altar should be marked by moderation suited to the character of this season. During Lent it is forbidden fo

the altar to be decorated with flowers. Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent), solemnities, and feasts areexceptions. Floral decorations should always be done with moderation and placed around the altar rather than its Mensa."

"."

Paragraph 307 refers to the placement of candles on the altar stating that they should not obstruct th

congregations view of what is occurring on the altar. The inference is clear that.

"From these numbers of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (which I quoted above), it may inferred that what the Church desires with regard to the decoration of the sanctuary is an overalland well-balanced ,

and avoidance of creating

obstacles to the clear view of the assembly or impediments to its concentration on the celebration of the sacremystery itself. While the decoration of the sanctuary should remain fairly stable, there is ample space fortraditional elements that reflect the liturgical season (Advent wreath, poinsettias at Christmastide, etc.""Everything is to be well balanced and must not interfere with the faithfuls clear view of what goes on at thealtar or is placed on it."

24The New American Bible St. Joseph Edition, (1970), Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, N.Y., St. John

2:14-1725

Instruction on the Eucharist Redemptionis Sacramentum, (May 2004), US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C., Paragraph

184, P. 8226

Instruction on the Eucharist Redemptionis Sacramentum, ISBN. 1-57455-619-3, (May 2004), US Conference of Catholic Bishops,

Washington, D.C., Paragraph 183, P. 8127

The New American Bible St. Joseph Edition, (1970), Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur, Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, N.Y., St. Mathe

25:21, P. 5728

The Sacramentary, (1985), Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, NY., P. 3129

General Instruction of the Roman Missal, ISBN. 1-57555-543-3, April 2003, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C.,






Q&A on Sanctuary Decorations, 05/25/2004, Rev. Fr. Edward McNamara Prof. Of Liturgy at Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University,

Zenit International News, Rome, Italy, P. 233

The Sacramentary, (1985), Catholic Book Publishing Co., New York, NY., Paragraph 269, P. 44


19/19

With total charity in mind I need to say that bishops, in general, need to return to the 'classroom'

and relearn how to their dioceses. Liturgical abuses do not just go away; they need to be 'sentpacking' by the Ordinary thats part of his job! By the bishops and clergy refusing to make corrections inliturgical abuses, the laity begins to believe that the abuses are permissible and they follow - like lambs to theslaughter!

I have written you many previous letters regarding liturgical abuses and have not heard back from yoIn those previous letters I have quoted extensively what is required of the bishop in matters such as these. I

not feel that I need to re-quote all of this procedure again. You continue to be in my prayers. Please say a

blessing for my elderly mother Ann Smith. Yours in Christ,Ronald SmithCC: Sr. Sandy Nativio, S.N.D., [email protected]


This report prepared on October 4, 2011 by , 11701 Maplewood Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024-8482, E-mail: . Readers may copy and distribute this report as desired toanyone as long as the content is not altered and it is copied in its entirety. In this little ministry I do freeCatholic and occult related research and answer your questions. Questions are answered in this format withdetailed footnotes on all quotes. If you have a question(s), please submit it to this landmail or e-mail address

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